Desk construction



1 l March 15 927 J.- A. HUGHES ESK CONSTRUCTION 3- shee'ts-sheet 1 mj @i www 1.

March 15, 1927.

J. A. HUGHES DESK CONSTRUCTION J. A. HUGHES DESK CONSTRUCTION March 15, 1927. A 1,621,324

med June v. 192e s sheets-snm ATTORNEY.

JoHN'aHuGHns, or WAcoyrEXAs.

DESK SCOIQSTRUGTION. f f

Application .med Vrune r, 192e.. senatrlva 114,341,` f

v-This ,invention4 relates to desk constructionsfmoreparticularly to article of fur` niture for office use, a .combination .typewriter, support `and filing` 'cabinet and the invention has for its object to -provide,.in.aJ manner as hereinafter-set forth, an article of furnitinev of, theclass referred to having meansin convenient, reach of the typistffor the ,tiling of typed records .or work, or for convenient access to filed memoranda or f other papers l to .be removedy and. record-ed thereon and replaced after the records have beenmade.;4

A furtherobject of the invention is to pro vide,. in a manner as .hereinafter set forth, an article of furniture for votHce use, termed a combination typewriter support and filing cabinet capable of being folded'in a compact manner` when not desired for-,use and stored in a comparatively small space.

A further object of the inventionv is to provide, in a manner as hereinafterset forth anartic-le of furniture for office use, termed a combined typewriter' supportuand 3 filing cabinet and `including a pair oflfile casesand a typewriter support, the cases and support being. operatively connected together whereby4 on the extending of the device for use the support will Abe elevated to the desired positiony for the typist and the. file cases will, be thrown open and disposed at each side of.

the*- support within convenient reach of the typist or typistsV for the purpose of removing and storing memoranda vor other papers within said cases and further whereby when the device is foldedtheiile cases will be automatically closed and maintained in such position until the `device is extended again for use.

A further object of the invention' is to pro-V vide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth,V anarticle of furniture for office use, termed a combined typewriter supportand, tiling.

cabinet and includingja vertically movable typewriter support and a pairE of .iilecasesT and with the..support and file cases opera tively connected together, .whereby on the shifting of one of the cases to open position theother case will be moved likewise and the typewriter support shifted to the desired p0.-- sition for the typist or typists, and further whereby .when one of the cases are moved to closed'position the other case will 'be simul-` taneously moved to like position and the.

the typewriter 'or typewritersrnonntedupon,

the support. v Y Further, objects of' the ,invention .areg-to provide, in .a manner as hereinafter setforth, an article of furniture .for ofiice .use termed a combination typewriter 'support and, filing cabinet andwhich is comparatively@ simple inv its. eonstruction.. .and arrangement..con veniently Eshifted manually to [and froniv ,poi-. sition for .v 4use, y. portable, strongwcompact. when shifted to closedi position, thoroughly efficient inits use, and comparatively 1 inex.y pensive to manufacture. 1 i y Writh the foregoing (and, otherobjects ,in view, theinvention consists of the vnovel. con; struction, combination and. arrangement of parts as hereinafter more, specificallygrfdescribed and illustrated. in the accompanying. drawings, wherein is shown anembodiment of the invention, butit is to. Aunderstood that changes, variations .and modifications can beresorted. to` which fallrwithinsthe scope of theclaims hereunto'appended.

Inflthe. drawings v wherein like,. ,refevrence characters denote` correspondingk parts throughout the severalv views:

Figure-1` is airendelevation; ofa co1 nbina.

tion Jtypewriter support andfilingcabinet in accordance .with this.` invention. 1and, with the. same inV full linesillustrated asi-closed and iii-dottecblinesin position forfusem y Figure 2y is a sectionalelevationiof a com -I bination typewritersupport and iling..cabi. net, in accordance ,with this inventiomjand illustrating Ain .full lines the `saine in, position foruse and in dotted lines closed. Y Figurer-f8 is a fragmentaryyiew, in side' elevation.V j f Figure 4 is a sectionalgdetail..;j ,v Referr ing.-,to the' drawingsl in Idetail Vgenerally.:indicates a truclr formed of a'pair.Y

of. side bars 2, and .apair ofcrossbars 4t, 5. The cross bars/L provide. nieans for.

connecting,thejsidewbars 2,13 togetherl and further Y for maintaining thei Z side barse2, 3. in spacedlrelation.. TheA cross bars 4c, 5 are.

secured againstthe bottoms. ofthe sidebars,

2, 3 by *holdy fast Vdevices .6. i, Each'sidex-bar,

is in they formfof an angle ironof ap,-v4 propriate length andeachzcross bar is in the .form of a T-iron. of, appropriate length.

The side `bars 2, 3 are so. disposed that the cross barsh 5 areseeured to the? lower faces; of the .horiZontallegsof they said sidebars., Each end of each side bar `hals suitably con.- nected therewith. a .yolrefshaped carrier 7,

lic

Yprovided with a roller 8. Or in other Vprovide bearings for rock shafts and the Yrock shaft mounted in the boxes 9 is indicated at 12 and the rock shaft mounted in the boxes 10 is indicated at 13. lith reference to Figure t each rock shaft is provided at a point adjacent each end edge thereof with a cylindrical portion 14C which is journaled in a box and each rock shaft other than the two cylindrical portions thereof, is of polygonal contour throughout as indicated at 15.

The rock shafts 12 and 13 are connected together, so they will move in unison, through the medium of a pair of oppositely disposed connecting bars 16, 17 and a pair of'lever arms 18, 19. The lever arm 18 is ixedly secured at the center thereof to the rock shaft 12 whereby said lever arm will project above and below the rock shaft 12 an equal distance.V The lever arm 19 fixedly secured at its center to the rock shaft kco 13 whereby said lever arm 19 will pro-V jectY an equal distance above and below the rock shaftv13'. The upper end of the connecting rod 16 is secured as at 20 to the upper end of the lever arm 18 and the lower end of the connecting rod 16 is connected as at 21 to the lowerend of the lever arm 19. 1 The upper end ofthe connecting rod 17 is connected as at 22 to the upper end of the lever arm 19 and the lower end of the,

loperation of the rock shafts will be presently referred to and the connection between the rock shafts are such that they will synchronously operate together in a clockwise and anti-clock-wise direction and when shifted ina clock-wise direction the article of furniture will be shifted to closed position and when moved in an anti-cloclr-wise direction the article of furniture will be shifted to an open position or position for use. The lever arms 18 and 19 are provided with polygonal-shaped openings corresponding inv contour to `the d polygonal shape or contour of the rock shaft so that when the lever arms areY mounted on the The article of furniture further includes 'a vertically movable typewriter Ysupport which is referred to generally by the reference character 24s, and a pair of cov-A ered file cases referred to generally by the reference character 25, 26. The cover of the Acase 25 is referred to generally by the reference character 27 and the cover of the case 2G is referred to generally Vby the referenceV character 23. `When the articlev of furniture is in a position for use, the'` lile cases 25, 26 are suspended laterally with respect to each side of the typewriter support 241 and in convenient reach of thetypist or typists. y

The typewriter support 2a consists of a pair of opposed carrier bars 29, 30 of appropriate length connected together by a pair of spaced combined brace and supporting bars 31 positioned an appropriate distance from the end of the carrier-hars 29 and 30. Mounted on the bars 31, as well as overlapping the same and secured therewith is a platform 32 of the desired width and-length to support a pair of typewriters which are oppositely disposed with respect to each other.

lfirranged forwardly and slightlybelow the Vcarrier bar 29 is a link 33' having an upturned end 34 and arranged forwardly of the carrier bar 30 is a link 35 having an upturned end 36. The links 33 and 35 jarc oppositely disposed with respect to each other. Pivotally connected to one end of the carrier bar 29'as at 37 the curved end 38 of a shift-ing arni'39. Pivotallyfconnected to the other end of the carrier bar 29, as at L10 is the curved end #il of a shifting Yarm 42. @ne end of the'linlt 33 is piv otally connected as at i3 to the curved end 38 of the shifting arm 39. rihe other end of the link 33 is pivotally connected as at 'fir-Ll, to the shifting arm L12. The arms 1 t 1 1 1 39 and .l2 provide means roi elevating and lowerinothe t iuewriter sun ort 2fat one if, i l

end thereof and the link 33 connects Athe arms 39 and 4t2 together to provide for the synchronous operation thereof The arms 39 and 4t2 areoppoL-sidtelyA disposed with respect to each other;` ri`he other' end of the typewriter support n is elevated and lowered through the medium of a pair of opV posit'ely disposed lifting arms 43 rEhe arm l5 is provided with a curvedend 1:7 which is pivotally conny ed as at -18 to the carrier bar andsaid cin-ved end L17is furthermore pivotally connected with the curved end 36 of the linl; 35.3."1`he arm 16 is provided with a curved end 50 which isf.fpivotallyrconnectecbiasy at`f.51 to the can., rier-:bar1:;30 and.: also pivotally .connected as. atl. 522120 sthegotherf endiof the lirlr x35. The linki onnectsthe arms eaa'nd 4.6 together., to Vprovide for the' simultaneo us Voperation thereofae The armstfandaf are oppositelyff ib) i disposed ivitli respect Lto* the'. arms 39 and andfthe'flink 35 'fis oppositely a disposed .with respect .ito the 1, linie. 33. "i-Thenananner in; .which thesliifting ,arins39, 42,145 `and 46 are... actuated -willbe present-lyreferredito.; The" saidfsliifti'ng. farms are connected to the ends of. the. file; eases and ,the nonnection betweentherarmsfand .said cases will behereinafter moreaspecically referred to.'y

As the file .case'25, .as well as the' .file case 26`Tare .of Alilcei constmiction,g.;but onemvill be; described` asthe `.description of :one Avill 1 apply to theother. t Each .file case comprises a body."poltrone` see Figure 3, :c onslstmg or aA bottoni f53 and .1a pair of end, walls; 54,.. 55,which-are'secured. toit-lie ends of the bot-A tom `53. Projecting outwardly 4from vthe lowery portion of each end'wallfis a combined 'spacing. and supporting means156 for end platesgi57, '58 :which 'opposefand are arranged in parallelism Witlis'respeot to the end walls of the ,bodyiportion.y Each.. filing case fura-,- ther includes al shiftableinnei: side ywall159- andaj shiftable outersidewall 60, see -Figure-2, yg The outerside'wall.; of. each.y {ile-.case is Ispaced :from the closureior .lid 26 or 27 Whenathe file-case is gin positionfor use.

llren the: ilencases are1positioned for-use-y thesidenwallsf) and 60 fare spaced .from the body portion offtheir respective file case .and by this farrangementa1any liled paper .de--v sired, can be extended laterally fromaeitlier sidefofthe body gportion for, divisional l.puri poses {Ofr to facilitate theilocating rof the same whenpdesired; T The sidewvallsgf), 60i ofthe file case .i25iareaoppositely Vdisposed. withlrespectV to .the side ,wallsw59,l 60f'of. the-file 'ca se 26,fV I, The'A iclosure, .co-Ver --or lid i element t .27 is i constructed similarto-the l.eleinent 28 land .is larger;l .than2 ,the body portion of. 1 its.y assof ciateda r liling. case wwhereby; .when the; filing cases. are shifted to: inactive .position the .y cover element-s; will extend 1. over oroverlap tlreeuppei4 part of@ thee-.said .body zportions, as.

Y well as the sidey Walls; .andiin this connection` see Figure 1 of thedrawings...

Each cover. element. consists-of a top.' wall- 61, a pair. of. endwalls 62,:'63ffand an outer 'side wall 645.- Eachvcoverfelement is open.

other,V4 Thepairof actuating.- rmembers at. "one end of theiroclr shaft is indicated gen# Yis a pair of actuating members andthe acl tuating. members ofeach pair is constructed: similar to the actuating members `Just .re; ferredV to.. The pair of actuating members ,at oneend ofthe rock shaft 13fis indicated..

generally by the reference character 69, and; the.pair'at the other end `of the. rock shaft` 13is indicated generally by the reference characterL 70. -Each actuating member of. the pair 69.and.the1 pair 70 includes'an in-r termediate port-ionv 1' an upper, inwardly' curved end portion .72 and a lowerinwardlyi vcurved end portion 73, seeFigure:1.:.'l`he. lower. end .port-ion i 73 is fixed to i .the L.rock shaft v13 so as to be bodily .carried therewith.I The actuating.membersv of the pair x69 ,oppose eachother but are arranged in spaced. relation andthe. actuatingmembers of `the pair 70 .oppose each `other and are arranged inspaced relation. The .pairsof actuatingA members..69,-f70 are oppositely disposed with respect. to the pairs of actuating. members` 64, 65;". All ofthe saidiactuating members areof like construction.. The sliif-tingarm 39 extends between the pair 'of actuating members64 .and is pivotally connected 'there withas at 745 The-shifting .arm 42f eXtends between 'the actuating membersof the-pair 69- andis .pivotally connected .therewithl las. at .i The shiftingarm 45 ertendslbetween the actuatinglmembers `ofther pair 65 and .is pivotally gconnected therewithfas at 76; The shifting-.ar1n46-extends 'between the pair of lactuating'members 70 and is pivotally connected therewith as-l at 77. Th'ef-inner actuating member of the pairsofactuating-- .1ne1nbers,4 carried by each vrock shaftfare connected together by a stayl barq78' best shown in Figure '3. Pivotallyfconnected to the'uppervend4 of each pair ofv actuating members'as at 79, is la bell cranlr lever 80;-

vThe 1nell crank levers 4 8O whichY are pivotally connected to the pairs of actuating membersv 65 and-70, eachY is pivotally connected as at S1 tol an-end plate158 .upon'the outer face thereof. The-,bell crank levers() which are' pivotally connected to the pairs of actuating members 64'and 69, each is p ivotallyv con nected as at 824to an end plate 57 exteriorly thereof. The bell crank levers 8O carried by .the end plates 57 are oppositely disposed with respect to'each other, and the bell crank levers 80y carriedby the end `plates 58are oppositely disposed with respect to each other. lThe upper arm of each bell crank 'llO i lever 80 has pivotally connected. therewith,l

disposed with respect to each other. EachV coveieleiiient has a pair of lifting,` arms pivotaily connected therewith. rllie bell crank levers 89,v in connection with the links 83 and lifting arms 85 provide means when the act rating members are moved in one direction to shift the closure elements to open position, as illustrated in Figure 2 and,

when the actuating members are moved in the oppositedirection the closure elements are shifted to closing position with respect to the body portions of the le cases as illustrated in Figure 1. .l

vThe non-curved end of the shifting arm 39 is pivotally connected as at 88 to the end plate 57 Vof the 'ile case 25. The shifting,` arm 4t2-is pivotally connected as at 89 to the end plate 57 of the ile case 26. The shifting arm 4175 has its non-bent end. pivotally connected as at 90 to the end plate 58 of the tile case 24 and the shifting` arm L16 has its non-bent end pivotally connected as at 91 to the end plate 58 of the file case 26. Connecting the shifting arms to the ,end plates of the le cases, and as said shifting arms are pivotally connected to the actuating members, and also to the typewriter support 2a, when the file cases are movedV from the dotted line position shown in Fio'- L D y ure 1 the typewriter support will be elevated to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. llhen the file cases are shifted from the full line position shown in Figure 2, the lifting-arms will provide for the loweringrV of the typewriter support 24e to dotted line position shown in Figure 2.Y

The closure or cover element 27, as well as the element 28.,y has a pair of lever arms 92, 93 connected therewith. rlhe lever arms connected with the closure element 27 are oppositely disposed with respect to the lever arms connected to the closure element 28.

' VThe Vlever arms arer pivotally connected to each end wall of a closure element as indicated at 94. tween a plate 57 and an end wall 55 and each lever arm 93 extends between an end plate 58 and an end wall 5/1. rlhe lever arm 92, as well as the lever arm 93, is pivotally connected intermediate its ends as vat 95. The lever arm 92, as well as the lever arm 93 has pivotally connected therewith aV pair of oppositely, extending `actuating Vure 1 of the drawings.

Each lever arm 9 2 extends he-r arms 96, 97. The arm 96 is pivotally connected at its inner end, as at 98, forwardly yof the pivot 95. The actuatingy armV 97 is pivotally connectedy at itsinner end, as at 99 rearwardly of the pivot 95. The outer end of the arm 96 is pivotally connected as at 100 to a link 101 which has its inner Aend pivotally supported at 102 and its Vouter endV pivotally connected to aside wall V60 as at 103. The actuating. arm 97 has'its other end pivoted asl at 104 toa link 105, which has its inner end pivotally supported as at 106 andl its other end pivotally connected as at 107 to a side wall 59. The construction and arrangement of kthe lever arms 92, 93 in connection with the actuating'- arms 96 and 97 provide means for holding the side walls of the file cases away from the body portions thereof as illustrated in Figure 2, when they file eases are positioned for use. As the cover elements move to open position they will actuate the lever arms 92 and 93 and pro- VVhen the cover elements 27 and 28V ments assuming.;l the position shown in Fig. Y

When the cover or closure elements are in closure position, the various actuating' arms,v lever arms .and links which are connected with the file cases will assume the dotted line position shown in Figurek 2.v f y' It will be assumed that the article of furnitureA is in the position as shown in Figure 1.'now by pulling one of the file cases away from the other, both file cases will move in' unison and at the same time the typewriter support 24 will start to move upwardly fromv the lower position. On the further movement of one ile case away from the'other the article of furniture can be swung,- toV open position,V which is the full line position shown in Figure 2 whereby the typewriter support, carrying the typewriters will be set in proper position for use and the can be had thereto when occasion requires. l/Vhen it is desired to close thearticle of furniture one of the file vcases is shifted upwardly which provides for an upward movement of the other iile case. due to the fact f cases willY abut, as shown in Figure 1 and.

the typewriter support will be moved to its loweredposition. The arrangement of the `file cases will be thrown open so that a'cress` iso l is 4as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2..

Ving upwardly vin an even manner andl almarea@ i parts when the 'artile of furniture is, closed The pairs of actuating members or rock arms 64, move away Irom theV pairs of actuating membersor rock arms 6.9, when the articlevoffurniture is to be opened for use and carrying the shifting` arms 39, 42, 45 and 46 therewith, as well as provide a clearance for the upward movement of the support 24. Then the actuating'arms 64,

65, 69, 70 move outwardly the shiftingarms swingi on their pivot connections withv the actuating arms dueto the action ofthe file cases. The ends of the 'shifting arms that are connected to the le cases will movev vdownwardly and the ends of the shiiting` arms that areconnected to the support 24.

will. move upwardly carrying thejsupport therewith. The link connections 33 and 35` will provide forthe support 24 movways sustain the support vsquared or in a non-tilted position. When the pairs of. actuatingY members 64,65are moved towards the pairs of actuating' members 69, 70, on the upward lift 'of a file case, the shifting arms will swing on their pivot connections with thev actuating membersin. a manner, whereby the curved endsbf said shifting members, will be moved downwardly carrying the support 24 therewith. When the parts are shifted tothe full line position shown in Figure 2, the weight of the file, cases will maintain the support 24 in an `elevated position and .the file cases in,V an open position, and when the y parts .have been shifted to the dotted line positionshown in Figure 2, theA weight of the4 'le cases will maintain; the support 24 in a lowered posi-.Qy

tion andthe i'ile cases c losed. v `The file cases provideV what may be termed'counte'r bal. anlces for the levery arm and link mechanisms when these latter are extendedand folded. The` shifting arms 32, 42, 45 and 46vare -ec-. centric'ally pivoted respectively to` the pairs ofl actuating membersy 64, 65,69, 70..

n The pairs of .actuating members not only provide. means, in connection with the file cases toi rockl the shifting arms Vin* both directions, but said actuating 'members' further provide means for shifting the bell cranks in opposite directions to provide for the 'moving ofthe closure. elementstoY Vand fromV closure position, andwhereby the closure elementswill actuatethe levers"82, 831m' both directions to project and withdraw the side walls ofthe `tile cases.,v

lhatl claim is: v ,n l. l. .An article offurniture for the purpose set forth comprising a. 'truely a pair of synchronously shiftia-ble.rockV shafts jour-u. naled therein, a pair of actuating` members` iixle'dtoeach'endof each shaft exteriorly ofi, thek truck and.. bodily .carried with l said.v shaft, 4a vrtefilly Iiliralil@ artid@ '.SPPQYF. Zit-,

thereof."

rangedebetween .thevpairsfofr -actuatngzmembers. a pair @..f-nermally closed file 'cases .ar-

ranged over saidfarticle support'and; oppositely shiftable relatively-to ieaclr other, a.

shifting arm pivotallfy.. connected, between @Mh pairl of` actuating` members and fur-z ther pivot-ally connected' to said support,.and j connections. between salda actuating. inembers, arlil and casesr toprovide, onthe Y manual shift ofgone vcase from the-otherfthe synchronous. shifting ofthe cases to open position. attheides of said support. and

`further fo1..moving the support to, its ele.

ing' (3f-011 0f .Said cases` from. the other, for.'-

the. verticallyv moving-,of the support and f i' the openingand positioning of4 the `cases -a pairof normally closedv synchro# j i cases vand;support .to'provide5 ony the shifts' .laterally with .respect to the `support land.-

v with thegsidef Walls; andv closure-'elements of..

the cases4 extended. from the body portions.

. thereof.

portable articles of.v office: furniture. comprisingl apalrf of synehronouslymov able, manually shiftable, Vnorm-ally closed file 'cases .each-including a bodiy portion, a-

pair of shiftable` side walls and a shiftable closure., af normally; lowered verticallyfunovable: article'. support.. normally positioned below said cases, actuating` connections bef;

tween; said casesandnsupports to. provide, onk

the. manual. shift vof one lcase .from the other,

the vertical moving ofthe support andi-the 'opening and. lateral disposition.. ofi said casesi -withrespect to the supportand"With-then l side walls` and closure elements of each caseextended Vfrom the ,body portion ythereof and said connections. fur-ther 'providing on the manual shift of'A one case towards the other the loweringl 0f the support andthe closing-l and positioning, of; the cases over the support"k and with the cover elements of n each'fcas'e overlapping the .body portionandside Walls i lfile caseseachfincludingV a body portion, a

A furniture t 'comprislng a; pair' of' synchronously mov- '.able, manually shiftabl'e, `normally iclosed '.125,

Pair '0f .Shftable .Side Walls.. and" a. Shftabl. closure, 'a' normally lowered verticallfy,movf4 able. article support 'normallyj,V positioned b e '10W .Saidf Cases., .atu-atiiige0nrieet0ns between.;

said cases and supports to provide, on the `ing and lateral disposition of said cases with vrespect to the support and with the side walls and closure elements of each case extended from the body portion thereof and said connections further providing on the manual shift of one vcase towards the other the loweringof the support and the closing and positioning of the cases over the support and with the cover elements of each case overlappingrth'e body portion and side walls thereof, and said operative connections positioned at each end of each of said cases and support. v f Y v Y5..A. portable article of office furniture comprising a pair of synchronously movy able, manually shift-able, normally closed file cases earch including a'body portion, a

pair of shiftablenside walls and a shiftable closure, a normally loweredveitically movable 4article support normally positioned below-saidcases actuating connections between 'saidicases andsupports to provide, on the manual shift of one case from theother, the vertical moving of the support andthe opening and 'lateral' disposition of said cases 30; with respect to the support and with the side walls andr closuie elements of eachV case eX- tended l.from the body portion thereof and said connections further providing on the 1 manual shift of one'oase towards the other Athe lowering of the support and the closing and'positioning Vof the vcases over the support-and with the cover elements of each f case overlapping the body portion, and side 'fof and support, and a truck having said operwalls thereof, said operative connections. po-Y sitioned at each end of each ofesaid cases 6; Aportable article of office 'furniture comprising. a YpairV of synchronously movable, manuallyfshiftable, normally closed file cases each including` a body portion, a pair of` shiftable side walls and a shift'able closure, a vnormally ylowered vertically movable articlejsupport normally positioned below saidv cases, actuating connections between saidcases and supports to provide, on the manual shift of one case from the other, the

. vertical moving ofthe support and the opening and vlateral disposition of said casesV vwith 'respect to,A the support and with the sidewalls and closureeleinents of eachV case'.V

extended from the body Yportion thereof and said` connectioiisf'further*providing on the manual shiftfof one ease towards the other positioned at eachfend of each of said Leases thev lowering of the support and the closing- Leen-sst Y Yand support, atruckL having said operativeI connections attached to eachcorner thereof, the. operative connections arranged at one end of said cases andlsupport being oppositely disposed with respect to the operative connections'positioned at the other end of said cases and support.

71A portable article of officel furniture comprising a pair of synchronously Vmovable, manually' shiftable, normally closed file cases each including a body portion, a"

thereof and said connections further providing on the manual shift of oneY case to- Y wards the other the lowering of the support' and the closing and positioning of the' cases over the support and with the cover elements of each case overlapping the body portion and side walls thereof, said opera# tive connections positioned at each end of each of said cases and support, a truck hav- 'ing said operative connections attached to each corner thereof, rthe operativeV connec# tions arranged at one end of said cases and support, the operative connections arranged ino at one' end of said cases and support 'being ,oppositely disposed vwith Yrespect to -the operative connections positionedat the other end of said cases and support, andthe said operative connections having elementsthereof for permanently connecting the side its body portion.

V8. An article of office furniture compris` ing a pair of synchronously operable' 'rockv 'walls and cover elements of each case with cases each includingV a body pcrtion,'a pair of shiftable side walls anda shiftable closure, a normally loweredk vertically mov-j able 'article support normally positioned be-V low said cases, actuating connections between i jsaid actuating members and `said cases and said support to provide, on thein'anual shiftof one'case from thevother, the vertical movingof the support and the' opening andV lateral disposition of said cases with respect.

to the support( and with the sidewalls and closure element of each case extended from! `the body portion thereof and further providing, on the shift of one case towards the other-the lowering of the' supportand the closing and positioning of the cases over the support and with the closure element of each case overlapping the side walls and body portion thereof.

9. An article'of ofce furniture comprising a pair of sychronously operable rock shafts, supporting means therefor, a pair of upstanding actuating members connected to each end of and bodily movable with a rock shaft, 'a pair of vsynchronously movable, manually shiftable, normally closed file cases each including a body portion, a pair of shiftable side walls and a shiftable clossure, a normally lowered vertically movable article support normally positioned belowY said cases, actuating connections between said actuating members andsaid cases and said support to provide, on the manual shift of one case from the other, the verticalmoving of the support and the opening and lateral disposition, of said cases with respect to the support and with `the side walls and closure element of each case extended from the body portion thereof and further providing, on the shift of one case towards the other the lowering of the support and the closing and positioning of the cases over the Vsupport and with the closure element of each case overlapping the side walls and body portion thereof, the said actuating connections arranged at each end of said cases and saidsupport, the actuating connections at one end of the cases and supportsbeing oppositely disposed with respect to the actuating connections at the other end of the cases and the support.

l0. An article of oflice furniture comprising a pair of synchronously operable ,rock shafts, supporting means therefor, a pair of upstanding actuating members connected toeach end of and bodily movable with a rock shaft, a pair of synchronously movable, manually shiftable, normally closed le cases each including a body portion, a pair of shiftable side walls and a shiftable closure, a normally lowered verticallymovable article support normally positioned below said cases, and said support to provide, on the manual shift of one case from the other, the vertical moving of the support and the opening and lateral disposition of said cases with respect to the support and with the side walls and closure element of each caseextended `from the body portion thereof and further providing, on the shift of one case towards the other the lowering of the sup-v port and with the closure element of each case overlapping the side walls and body portion thereof, the said actuating connections arranged at each end of said cases and said support, the actuating connections at one end of the cases and supports being oppositely disposed with yrespect tothe actuating connections at the other end of the cases and the support, and certain elements of said actuating connections permanently connecting the side walls and closure element of a le case to the body portion thereof.

l1. In an article of furniture for the purpose set forth two oppositely disposed sets of rocking elements, each set consisting of two pair of rock elements, one Set opposing the other, means connected tothe lower ends of said sets to-provide for'the synchronous rocking of said sets alternately in a direction away and towards each other, two oppositely disposed .pair of support elevating and lowering arms, means for pivotally connecting each' of said arms intermediate'its ends to and eccentrically of Va pair of rock elements, a support pivoted to the inner ends of said arms, and `means pivotally connected to the outer ends of said arms for rocking them on their pivots to provide for the elevating of the support when the outer ends of the arms are kpositely disposed pair of support elevating and lowering arms, means for pivotally connecting each of said arms intermediate its ends to and eccentrically Vof a pair of rock elements, a support pivoted to theinner ends of said arms, and means for connecting each pair of arms together to prevent the tilting of the support during the vertical movement thereof. f

13. A combined desk and file comprising l avertically movable support forv carrying a typewriter or computing machine, normally closed filing units arranged over said support, means for synchronously opening said units and' elevating said support and for positioning the units laterally with re-V spect to the support, and means for swing-v ing each unit, when in a lateral position with respect to the support, towards thelatter.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

- JOHN A. HUGHES.` 

